Only two sections of Scripture speak of judging every man's work in fire. They
are Revelation 20 and I Corinthians 3. Earlier in this series we covered many
Scriptures showing that Judgment is on the House of God NOW (from the time of the
Apostles until the return of Christ), and that there is coming a later judgment
at the Great White Throne. All humanity and all angelic messengers will be judged
in one of these two judgments by fire.

In Part V we saw how God likens believers to a garden that is to produce
fruit. God also likens our spiritual development to that of a building. We are to
produce much "spiritual fruit" which will also make us "living stones" in a great
temple prepared for God's dwelling place. We will now continue our study
beginning with the Foundation upon which all this spiritual structure is to be
built.

JESUS CHRIST-THE ROCK

"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master
builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds thereon. But let every
man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which IS Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon
this foundation..." (I Cor. 3:10-12).

We already saw that we are God's building of living stones that are to produce
garden varieties of spiritual fruit.

Paul gives us an even clearer description of this spiritual building process
in Eph. 2:19-21.

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow
citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are [being]
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the Chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed [being
connected together] grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: In Whom ye also
are built together for an habitation [dwelling place] through [in]
Spirit."

God's Word portrays a far different and higher spiritual destiny than the
Christian candy-coated heaven of a Disney World Magic Kingdom with pearly gates,
streets of gold, fluffy clouds, and chubby-cheeked cherubs strumming their little
harps while huge choruses sing rock-n-roll gospel music and the saints practice
rapping with the angels in a land of endless mountains of chocolate and candy
where everyone has his own mansion in which to live in the lap of perpetual
luxury, laziness, and non-accomplishment, catering to the lusts of the flesh
while delighting over a vision of countless billions writhing in unspeakable
torturous pain of an eternal lake of fire. What a HELL that would be!

Maybe it is time we rid ourselves of all the fabled fantasies of pagan
nirvanas. Saints are never going to a geographical location on a huge rock or
planet in outer space called "heaven." There will never descend out of heaven a
literal city with pearly gates or streets of gold. We will never live in such a
literal, physical, material city! These are symbols, metaphors, and word pictures
to describe SPIRITUAL REALITIES.

God's kingdom is SPIRITUAL. All in God's kingdom will be SPIRITUAL. And all
this is being build on a huge SPIRITUAL ROCK-The CHRIST. Jesus Christ is the
"Chief Corner Stone," the "Foundation," the "ROCK!"

I live in Miami, Florida where they have recently completed twin towers of
forty-five stories each right on the sand of Miami Beach. That is they appear to
be built right on the sand. They are, in fact, anchored on many pilings driven
down to solid bedrock. No one is foolish enough to spend a hundred million
dollars on skyscrapers that would have sand for their foundation.

Jesus Christ is the spiritual bedrock upon which we are to become a spiritual
and fit dwelling place for God. In times past God made His presence known within
the physical temple at Jerusalem. But the physical tabernacle in Jerusalem is
long gone. The Levitic priesthood is long gone. But there is still an high
Priest:

"But Christ being come an HIGH PRIEST of good things to come, by a
greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not
of this building... For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with
hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself now to appear in
the presence of God FOR US" (Heb. 9:11 & 24).

WHO IS THIS MAN, THE CHRIST?

Just Who is Jesus Christ? Many have but a superficial knowledge of the real
Jesus. And those who have studied the Scriptures deeply, are but scratching the
surface of the real Christ. Jesus Christ is a whole lot more than the humble
carpenter from Nazareth, Who was born of a virgin and died on a cross. JESUS
CHRIST IS EVERYTHING! Everything that ever was, is, or shall be is found in
Christ! He is the very CREATOR, SUSTAINER, AND ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. God
the Father has never directly made Himself known to humanity. It was Jesus Christ
Who came to reveal the Father to mankind.

God the Father,

"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His SON, Whom He hath
appointed HEIR OF ALL THINGS, by whom also He MADE THE WORLDS; Who being the
BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, and upholds ALL
THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:2-3).

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power
or darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of HIS DEAR SON: In Whom we
have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the
IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were
ALL THINGS CREATED, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, VISIBLE AND
INVISIBLE, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM [Jesus Christ], AND FOR HIM [Jesus
Christ]:

And He is BEFORE ALL THINGS, and by Him ALL THINGS CONSIST. And He is the
HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH: Who is the beginning, the firstborn form the
dead, that in ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINENCE. For it pleased the
Father that IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULLNESS DWELL. And having made peace through the
blood of His cross, by Him to RECONCILE ALL UNTO HIMSELF; by Him, I say,
whether in earth or in heaven" (Col. 1:12:20).

"I am Alpha and Omega, the BEGINNING and the ENDING, saith the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come, THE ALMIGHTY" (Rev.
1:8).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. The same was in the beginning with God. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM:
and without Him was not any thing made that was made. IN HIM WAS LIFE; and the
life was the light of men" (John 1:1-3).

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
WAS, I AM" (John 8:58). "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He
said, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me
to you" (Ex. 3:14).

Jesus Christ was the GOD of the Old Testament! Jesus Christ was JEHOVAH! Moses
SAW and HEARD Jehovah, yet John tells us that,

"No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the
bosom of the Father, HE HAS DECLARED HIM" (John 1:18).

And this,

"And the Father Himself, which hath sent me, has born witness of Me. Ye
have neither HEARD HIS VOICE at any time, NOR SEEN HIS SHAPE"(John
5:37).

"For the Father judges no man, but has committed ALL JUDGMENT UNTO THE
SON" (John 5:22).

"And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME
IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH" (Matt. 28:18).

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that
all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were
all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same
spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them: and THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST" (I
Cor. 10:1-4).

And contrary to popular Christian tradition, Jesus did NOT say that He would
build His church upon Peter. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter [Greek, petros, a piece of detached stone or rock], and upon
THIS ROCK` [Greek, petra {a different kind of rock}, a mass of
rock that cannot be moved as in Matt. 7:24 and 27:60, which is distinct from
petros which is a smaller detached rock that can be moved] will I built
MY CHURCH; and the gates of the unseen [hades] shall not prevail against
it" (Matt. 16:18). Jesus named Simon, "Cephas"(Peter is the Greek translation
of Cephas which is Chaldee):

"And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou
art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by
interpretation, A stone" (John 1:42),

that is, a smaller detached stone or rock in contrast to Himself Who is a huge
unmovable mass of foundational BEDROCK. See Luke 6:48. The Church of the Living
God is build upon CHRIST, not Peter! And so it is upon this SPIRITUAL, unmovable,
foundational, bedrock of Jesus Christ that we are to be built into a new
spiritual creation.

TAKE HEED HOW YOU BUILD

Constructing a building is a process that requires time and activity. Since
God likens the building of His spiritual temple to the assembling of a physical
building, then this process, likewise, requires time and activity. Time and
activity is what we call living our lives. Now then, when does judgment begin at
the building of this house of God? Answer:

"For the time IS COME that judgment must begin at the house of
God..."(I Peter 4:17).

And so it clearly has already begun with the Apostles and New Testament Church
nearly two thousand years ago. And it is still going on in the Church of God
today, in every believer's life, as he lives his life.

And so judgment is upon the building of God's house as each individual
believer is framed and fitted for the calling that God has for each individual.
This judgment began in the days of the Apostles after the resurrection of our
Lord. It continued generation after generation down through the age until today
when it yet continues. And it will continue still further until the entire
harvest of firstfruits is completed. Remember we already learned that if we would
judge ourselves now, Paul said we would not be condemned with the world later (I
Cor. 11:32).

It is while we are living and building that our works are being tried and
judged BY FIRE according to HOW we are building. What fire? God's fire. God's
"CONSUMING [spiritual] FIRE" (Heb. 12:29)! God is SPIRIT and
likewise His fire is SPIRIT. I have never heard a minister or teacher preach on
the good and beneficial side of God's FIRE. Fire is usually portrayed as bringing
about pain, evil, and destruction. Since God is GOOD (Luke 18:19), and God is
SPIRIT (John 4:24), and God is INVISIBLE (Col. 1:15), why does the church teach
the world that God as a CONSUMING FIRE (Heb. 12:29) is visible and not
invisible, literal and not spiritual, and bad rather than good?

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones [valuable traits of Godly spiritual character] wood, hay,
stubble [carnal traits of no value]; Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because IT SHALL BE REVEALED BY
FIRE; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it
is"

Every thought, every word, and every deed that proceeds
out of the heart and mind of man is his "WORKS." And every thought, every
word, and every deed of man will come into the judgment of Almighty God's
"CONSUMING FIRE." Notice that it is both our things of great value:
"gold, silver, precious stones," and our things of no value: "wood,
hay, stubble" that are tried in the fire, God's Consuming Fire. Every
person possesses knowledge, therefore, every person is a combination of both good
and evil (for knowledge can only be a combination of both good and evil
knowledge).

EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

Everything in the universe is a contrast with or to something else in the
universe. Nothing can be known about anything without contrasting it with other
things. You cannot think a thought nor can you perform a deed without a working
knowledge of these contrasting factors. If I should say that a box is big,
you could not have any conception of what I am saying unless you also know what
it is for something to be small. Something is only smooth in
contrast to it being rough.Up is only up in relation to
down. Without the contrasting relationship between two opposites "up"
could just as easily be "down." And all big boxes might be perceived as
small were it not for the fact that there would be no concept of small without a
knowledge of big.

Therefore, in the physical universe, all things are what they are by
contrast and relativity. Very hot stars are only very hot relative
to cooler stars. If there were no knowledge of cooler stars, there could
also be no hot stars. Things are either hard or soft, or harder or softer (but
harder or softer than WHAT?-always, something else). Things are light or dark (or
somewhere in between, (but the in between can also only be known by gradations of
relativity as well). Things are heavy or light, sharp or dull, big or small, tall
or short, strong or weak, hot or cold, left or right, north or south, in or out,
new or old, beginning or end, fast or slow, fat or skinny, straight or crooked,
up or down, high or low, moving or still, positive or negative, visible or
invisible, etc. You get the idea. Now then, this same law of knowledge pertains
to inanimate things and things of a spiritual nature as well. Again it is only by
understanding one thing relative to another or one thing contrasted with another
that enables us to intelligently communicate and live our lives. Let's look at a
few of these: happy or sad, giving or stingy, build or destroy, kind or cruel,
energetic or lazy, haughty or humble, intelligent or stupid, wise or foolish,
right or wrong, true or false, good or evil, righteous or wicked, love or hate,
life or death, temporary or eternal.

Having a working knowledge of these relative and contrasting terms and
concepts is absolutely essential in living our lives. We must all come to know
and to experience both good and evil. The universal teaching that God "never
intended" for man to eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is as
false and unscriptural as anything could ever be. It was both essential and
paramount that man should eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Knowledge of both good and evil is an attribute of God Himself. If we are to be
the "sons of God," we too must partake of this quality of God's nature. How could
man ever be fully made into the very image of His Creator God if he did not
possess even the basic fundamental attributes of his Creator and Father?

Let me make one thing clear at this point, lest my detractors think they have
discovered a major flaw in my teaching. "Evil" is not good nor is it eternal.
Nonetheless, a "knowledge of evil" is good and is eternal. All evil will take its
place in the lake of fire, but a knowledge of evil is eternal just as sure our
God, Who possesses a knowledge of evil, is eternal.

And so man's life consists of a combination of both good and evil thoughts,
words, and deeds. The most saintly of men have had their flaws and the most evil
of men have possessed at least a few qualities of good. I am sure that even
Adolph Hitler loved his mother and was kind to his dog. But loving your mother
and being kind to your dog will not get you into the kingdom of God. And let me
be quick to add that hating your mother and being cruel to your dog will not
eternally keep you out of the kingdom of God either.

Oh that the church could have the faith to believe that God Almighty is able
to accomplish His will for humanity:

"For this is GOOD [not evil] and acceptable [but NOTHING SHORT
OF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE] in the sight of God our Saviour; Who WILL have
ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, and to come to the knowledge [both the good knowledge
and the evil knowledge] of THE TRUTH" (I Tim. 2:3-4).

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation [so here is
another statement that is 'worthy' and 'acceptable' in the sight of God].
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God Who is the Saviour of ALL MEN [and nothing short of 'all men' IS
worthy or acceptable to God], specially [specially does not mean
'exclusively'] of those that believe" (I Tim. 4:10).

THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, SPECIALLY
BELIEVERS

A little digression: For the past couple of weeks I have been wasting my time
exchanging emails with a man who took great exception to my treatment of I Tim.
2:4 in Part V of this series on the lake of fire. He concluded that I have not a
lick of knowledge concerning proper interpretation, homiletics, hermeneutics, or
exegesis. He proceeded to explain to me the king of all theological seminary
theories on interpretation, which is "context, context, context" (sort of like
the real estate theory of property value: "location, location, location"). He
pointed out that the "context" of "all men" found in I Tim. 2:4 is found
in I Tim. 2:1-2,

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL MEN; For kings, and for
ALL that are in authority..."

He informed me that in my ignorance I failed to see that the "all men"
that God wills to be saved in verse 4 is speaking of kings and those in authority
of verse 2 ONLY! Oh really?

I asked him if the "all men" of verses 4 and 5 also pertained ONLY to the
"context" of verse 2. Let's read it:

"For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men [all
mankind], the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for ALL
[mankind], to be testified in DUE time" (I Tim. 2:5-6).

I asked him if Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom for "all kings and all in
authority" ONLY (in keeping with his theory of "context, context, context")? I
never heard from him again.

"Alleging themselves to be wise, they are made
STUPID..." (Rom. 1:22, Concordant New Testament).

Let me kindly point out that the "kings and authorities" of verse 2 are only
two categories of the "all men" in verse 1. Do we really think that what Paul was
actually meaning to say is this: "I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all
kings and for all that are in authority, ONLY?" NO! The
supplications, intercessions and giving of thanks were to be made "for ALL
men." Paul then gives us two categories of men out of "all men" that should
be included. Namely kings and those in authority, because these have the power
and authority to make our lives miserable if they become our enemies, and Paul
desired that the saints live a "quiet and peaceable life" as much as is
possible in this wicked world.

I was kind of sad that my detractor did not answer back my last email to him,
because I was holding I Tim. 4:10 in store for my next rebuttal to his inane
arguments. Now this truly is a remarkable Scripture. I have had many traitors of
the truth tell me that when God speaks of "all" being saved it always means "all
saints" or "all in the context" or "all in Christ" or some other "all," just as
long as it can never ever mean "all of mankind." But don't you just know that it
is God's way to shut the mouths of deceivers. Let's look at I Tim. 4:9-10 in any
context you wish:

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore
we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, Who
IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, specially of those that believe."

Now had God left off that last phrase, "specially of those that
believe," then maybe our detractors could once again say that, "Well, yes,
God 'is the saviour of all men,' it's just that He doesn't actually save all
men." Let me now show you how my Pennsylvania farm boy mind works when it comes
to a Scripture like this one. God has so tightly book-ended this verse that it is
absolutely impossible for even the most devious minds of detractors and traitors
of the truth to misrepresent this verse with an ounce of intelligence. This verse
is IRON CLAD!

Notice that this verse does not say: "God is the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially
ALL MEN," does it? No. And this verse does not say: "God is the Saviour of ALL
THAT BELIEVE, specially ALL THAT BELIEVE," does it? No. The "specially of those
that believe," BELIEVE. The rest of the "all men" do NOT BELIEVE. These are two
different groups-(1)Believers and (2)NON-believers. Since the "believers" are
"specially" saved, in relation to the saving of the "all men non-believers," then
they will be saved also. See it doesn't say that God is the Saviour of all men
but will ONLY save believers. No, the "all men" ARE SAVED and the "believers" are
SPECIALLY SAVED-BOTH will be saved! The word "specially" does not mean
"exclusively."

The word "specially" is translated from the Greek word malista, which
means "in the greatest degree or particularly" (Strong's Greek Dictionary
p. 155). It is translated "specially," "especially," "chiefly" and "most of all."
In every single usage of this word in the New Testament it is used in relation to
others who are not excluded, but included in the same subject. Let us notice a
few of these so that we can be absolutely convinced in our own minds that the
"specially believers" can in no possible way exclude the "all men" of the same
verse.

"For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
SPECIALLY [Gk: malista] they of the circumcision" (Titus
1:10).

Is it even necessary that I point out that this verse does not in any way
insinuate that the "unruly and vain talkers and deceivers" are ALL from the
circumcision ONLY?

"Not now as a servant but above a servant, a brother beloved, SPECIALLY
to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the
Lord?" (Philemon 16).

This verse says for sure that Onesimus was "special" to more than just Paul.
And so it is with every single use of this Greek work in the New Testament.

It is absolutely clear and irrefutable that the believers of I Tim. 4:10 are
saved in a special way, that is, they are saved before the rest of
humanity, and they are given the gift of eonian (age-abiding) life reigning with
Christ in the Kingdom of God, ages before the rest of humanity are saved.
Only those called and chosen NOW will EVER reign and rule and bring salvation to
the rest of the world and to the universe-THIS is a special gift of God to
believers being called in this age ONLY. But ... BUT, the rest of humanity WILL
ALSO BE SAVED (albeit by way of the lake of fire in the great white throne
judgment).

And so it is that long before the rest of humanity is purged through the lake
of fire, believers must also be purged through FIRE. It is so sad that these
things are not taught in Sunday school or church. Salvation is by grace through
faith. But if we isolate these two words "grace" and "faith" from all the
thousands of Scriptures that show us how grace and faith operate in the real
world, then we will fail to see or understand the most fundamental of New
Testament teachings. GAL, 2;20.

THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER

Let's see again just what is involved in living the live of a believer:

"For by GRACE are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. For we are
HIS workmanship [Gk: achievement], created in Christ Jesus unto
[unto what?] ... unto GOOD WORKS, which God has before ordained that we
should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

We are not saved by OUR WORKS, but we
are preordained to walk in GOD'S GOOD WORKS, nonetheless.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John
3;3).

Notice that Eph. 2:10 says that we are "created IN Christ." Something
new happens when we are "IN" Christ. There is a NEW birth and there is a NEW
creation,

"Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE
[Gk: creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new" (II Cor. 5:17).

Albeit, this new creation has its perils as we will
see in the next verse.

"Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus [as a new and
different creature] SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION." (II Tim. 3:12).

This is not just a possibility; it is an absolute PROMISE.

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue
in the faith, and that we must through MUCH TRIBULATION [pressure,
afflictions] enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

"For if we would JUDGE OURSELVES, we should not be judged. But when we
ARE JUDGED, we are CHASTENED [Greek: paideuo, to train, educate,
discipline, punish, chastise, instruct, learn, and teach] of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world [at the great white throne
judgment]" (I Cor. 11:31-32).

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto
children, My Son, despise not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when
thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loves He CHASTENS [Prov.
13:24] AND SCOURGES [see I Pet. 5:9] EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.
But if you be without chastisement, whereof ALL are partakers, then are you
bastards, and not sons" (Heb. 12:5-8).

"Every man's work shall be made
manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be REVEALED BY
FIRE; and the fire shall try EVERY MAN'S WORK of what sort it is"
(I Cor. 3;13).

"Fear NONE of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil
shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have
tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a
CROWN OF LIFE" (Rev. 2:10).

"To him that overcomes will I give
to eat of the TREE OF LIFE [eternal, immortal life]" (Rev. 2:7),

"He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death" (Rev.
2:11), "And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to
him will I give POWER OVER THE NATIONS" (Rev. 2;26),

"He that
overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment
[righteousness] and I will not blot out his name out of the book of
life [Christ is the book of life] but I will confess his name before
my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5),

"Him that
overcomes will I make a PILLAR [a main and vital support in the
very government of Almighty God] IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD..." (Rev.
3:12),

"To him that overcomes will I grant to SIT WITH ME IN MY
THRONE, even as I also overcame [see John 16:33], and am set down with
My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).

There we have a very brief overview of the life of a believer. Is it not
obvious that the life of a believer consists of a whole lot more than just
"believing" that Jesus is the Christ? God has bigger plans for the human race
than just "saving" them. God can "save" chickens, but God doesn't want chickens
for sons! God wants sons that are PERFECT as He is perfect! Wouldn't you all
agree that becoming perfect might just require a whole lot more than singing
gospel music once a week? Perfection requires many things that only God can
perform in our lives. We are, after all, His workmanship, His achievement. Having
ALL OUR WORKS tried in the fire of His Holy Spirit is no small part of becoming
perfect.

REVEALED AND TRIED BY FIRE

"Now if any man build upon this [spiritual] foundation [Christ]
gold, silver, precious stones [godly character traits], wood, hay,
stubble [carnal character traits]; Every man's work [thoughts,
words, and deeds] shall be made manifest [become known, come to light]:
for the day shall declare it [make it evident], because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it
is" (I Cor. 3:12-13).

The fire in these verses is no more literal than are the gold or stubble
suggested as building materials. People do not construct large buildings out of
gold, neither do they set them on fire after completion to see how well they will
fare. This is all figurative and symbolic language to instruct us in much higher
spiritual development. We are not literaI gardens of God neither are we
literal buildings of God. But we are like gardens in certain ways-we are
to produce good spiritual fruit. We are like buildings in certain ways-we are to
be a spiritual dwelling place for God. We have works that are like gold and
silver in certain ways-we have thoughts, words, and deeds of good and lasting
value. We also have carnal and evil works-bad thoughts, crass words, and evil
deeds that are of no lasting value and are only fit for destruction. Only God's
SPIRITUAL FIRE can burn away spiritual wickedness and evils of the heart.

All of these material items are used as symbols of spiritual things.
Therefore, of necessity, the fire that tries these material symbols is also
SPIRITUAL. It is not possible to burn up with fire an inanimate character flaw
without burning up the person who harbors it. Likewise, it is not possible to
purge and purify the good qualities of character in a person with literal fire
without burning up the individual that possesses them. But spiritual fire, God's
all consuming, purging and purifying fire is perfectly suited to do just that.
This trying and purging is not always pleasant, however, it is not a torture
chamber either. Does this fire harm the person being purged in this fire?

SALVATION BY FIRE

No, our merciful and graceful loving God and Father does not eternally torture
humanity IN fire, but rather eternally saves humanity BY fire.

Let's read it and rejoice:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work
of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE" (I Cor.
3:13-15).

Does everyone understand this? NO ONE is tortured, killed, or annihilated in
this fire! This fire of God SAVES people who go through it! There is salvation BY
means of this fire. This fire is part of God's judgment and grace!

SCRIPTURE MUST INTERPRET SCRIPTURE

Pay close attention to what I am about to say. There are but two places in all
Scripture that speak of "EVERY MAN'S WORK" being tried and judged: Twice
in I Cor. 3 and twice in Rev. 20. And there are but two places in all Scripture
where every man's work is tried and judged "IN FIRE." And again those two
places are I Cor. 3 and Rev. 20. Now then, earlier we learned from the Apostle
Peter that,

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture at all is becoming
its OWN EXPLANATION" (II Pet. 1:20, Concordant Literal New
Testament).

So I Cor. 3 cannot completely answer all that is contained within its verses
without the aid of the ONLY other such Scripture in the Bible, Rev. 20. And Rev.
20 cannot completely answer all that is contained within its verses without the
aid of the ONLY other such Scripture in the Bible, I Cor. 3!

Paul tells us in I Cor. 2: 12-13 that:

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might KNOW THE THINGS that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak [in only twelve more verses Paul Himself speaks
of just such spiritual things concerning the judgment of men's works in
fire] not in the words which man's wisdom teaches [not the same physical
torture in physical fire taught by the foolish understanding of the church]
but which the Holy Spirit teaches; COMPARING [OR MATCHING] SPIRITUAL
THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL."

By comparing these two spiritually matched Scriptures with one another we can
come to the truth of God's intention for BOTH of these fires that judge and try
EVERY MAN'S WORK in their own order.

The fire of I Cor. 3 accomplishes the very same thing as the fire of Rev. 20
accomplishes. Both of these fires are symbolic. Literal fire does not burn up
inanimate flaws (wood, straw and stubble) of human character. But AS literal fire
does burn up literal wood, straw and stubble, SO ALSO does God's spiritual fire
burn up human character flaws. We are not told of this "wood, straw and stubble"
in the lake of fire, nor of the "gold, silver and precious stones." We learn from
I Cor. 3 that this is the case with the lake of fire also because these two sets
of Scripture are the ONLY spiritual match in the entirety of the Bible. And just
as we learn new things and additional things about the lake of fire in I Cor. 3,
we also learn something new and different in Rev. 20:10 that is not mentioned in
I Cor. 3.

In this lake of fire of Rev. 20 we find a most unusual thing--brimstone.
BRIMSTONE? OH NO! NOT BRIMSTONE! Isn't this lake of fire going to be painful
enough without adding "brimstone?" First we learn from Christendom that the
non-believers and wicked will be tortured for all eternity in literal white-hot
fire, and now we read in the Scriptures that there is going to be BRIMSTONE in
this lake of fire! Whose idea is it to add brimstone to this fire? Is this a
cruel curse from Satan? That doesn't seem plausible seeing that this is GOD'S
WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT, and not Satan's BLACK THRONE JUDGMENT. But
why then would God be putting this cursed brimstone into this fire? Wait a
minute... Maybe the brimstone isn't a cruel curse from God, but rather a
marvelous blessing. Is that possible? With God all things are possible.

BRIMSTONE IN THE LAKE OF FIRE

What is brimstone anyway? Everything in the book of Revelation is "signified"
(SYMBOLIZED). We know that there is literal fire and there is spiritual fire; and
there is literal brimstone, but is there also spiritual brimstone? Ask any
nominal Christian why there is brimstone in the lake of fire, and he will
probably tell you that it is there to make the fire hotter and more painful. Oh
really? Is there something about brimstone that is caustic to the skin that would
cause great pain? Does brimstone somehow cause fire to burn hotter and hotter?
Does brimstone make the flesh hotter? Or is it corrosive material that eats away
at the skin and flesh thus causing even more intense insane pain. The very sound
of the word brimstone has come to represent something Satanic. Nothing could be
further or diametric opposite from reality. For those of you who have never
learned the meaning and derivation of the word "brimstone," you are in for a real
shock.

Look up the word "brimstone" in any dictionary and you will find it defined as
"sulfur." Brimstone is sulfur. What then are the properties and uses of sulfur? I
have known the Scriptural meaning and uses of sulfur for years, but I had never
looked up the word sulfur in my Encyclopedia Britannica before-what a
revelation.

SOME PROPERTIES OF SULFUR

"It is often called brimstone (burning stone) and ignited sulfur is
mentioned in the earlier records of many countries as having been used for
religious ceremonies, for PURIFYING (fumigating) buildings and for bleaching
cloth" (Encyclopedia Britannica, page 536d).

Gee, I wonder if spiritual
brimstone might be used to PURIFY and fumigate people and bleach their darkened
hearts to a bright white? Under the caption: "Methods of
Production-Ancient producers described their method of obtaining sulfur from
its ore as PURIFICATION BY FIRE" (Page 537a). (All caps emphasis is mine).

"Purification by fire." That sounds very Biblical. Does God "purify" good and
wonderful things by "fire?" Yes, He does: The WORDS of the Lord are pure
words: as silver [silver? Isn't the silver qualities of our character also
tried in 'fire,' I Cor. 3:12-13?] tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times" (Psalm 12:6).

Now we all know that the very "words" of God are not
burned in a literal fire. But "AS" silver is tried in literal fire, so
SPIRITUALLY God's words are tried in spiritual fire.

But surely, according to what we have been told by doomsday prophets of
eternal hell, sulfur must cause great torturing pain when brought into contact
with human skin, and wouldn't the smell alone be enough to suffocate all in its
presence? Continuing: "Physical Properties-Sulfur is TASTELESS and
ODORLESS. IT HAS NO ACTION ON THE SKIN" (Page 537d)!

So maybe it's just the heat that is intensified by the use of sulfur, and that
is its purpose in the lake of fire-to increase the intensity of the fire's heat
to cause more insane pain? Continuing: "Physical Properties-Sulfur is A
POOR CONDUCTOR OF BOTH HEAT and electricity..." (Page 538a)! Imagine
that-a POOR CONDUCTOR OF HEAT! Theoretically, if God were to put enough brimstone
into the lake of fire it would protect those in the fire like an asbestos suit!
Is anyone beginning to see the sheer folly in the church's teaching that the lake
of fire and brimstone are literal? I sure hope so.

NO, brimstone is not the demon of hell fire that it has been portrayed. Sulfur
rather has hundreds and hundreds of beneficial uses (my Twentieth Century
Dictionary says, 'innumerable uses') not the least of which are purification
and medicines. But wait, there's more. Why do we find sulfur in the lake of fire?
If it serves no detrimental purpose, is it possible that it serves a beneficial
purpose? I think that we can all agree that the Bible uses the word "fire" in a
figurative way on many occasions. I am certain that none would consider the
following verses as using fire in a literal way:

SCRIPTURAL USE OF FIGURATIVE FIRE

"His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and His
eyes were as a flame of FIRE" (Rev. 1:14).

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perishes though it be tarried with FIRE, might be found unto praise and honour
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:7).

"And the tongue is a FIRE..." (James 3:6).

"And of the angels He says, Who makes His angels spirits, and His
ministers a flame of FIRE" (Heb. 1:7).

"Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by FIRE; and the FIRE shall try every man's work
of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3:13).

"For our God is a consuming FIRE" (Heb. 12:29).

"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:
for in so doing you shall heap coals of FIRE on his head" (Rom. 12:20).

"John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water;
but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to
unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with FIRE"(Luke
3:16).

"For EVERY ONE shall be salted with FIRE, and every sacrifice shall be
salted with salt" (Mark 9:49).

"But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He
appears? For He is like a refiner's FIRE, and like fullers' soap" (Malachi
3:2).

"...for all the earth shall be devoured with the FIRE of my jealousy"(Zeph. 3:8).

"For in My jealousy and in the FIRE of My wrath have I spoken"(Ezek. 38;19).

And there are, of course, many more such Scriptures. Fire is often used in
figurative language. But what about the "brimstone?" Why, oh why, is there
brimstone in the lake of fire? It isn't caustic to the skin; it isn't noxious to
the smell; it isn't ugly to look at, and it's a poor conductor of heat, how can
brimstone (sulfur) be detrimental to humans who are thrown into this lake of
fire? Consider that sulfur is used to make medicines. Remember how many were
saved with the famous sulfa drugs back in World War Two? Are there "spiritually
sick" people in this lake of fire? THEY ARE ALL SPIRITUALLY SICK! EVERY ONE OF
THEM! They certainly need a good medicine. We also learned that sulfur has been
used since the beginning of time for PURIFICATION! Are those thrown into this
lake of fire "pure?" I speak as a fool. THEY ALL NEED PURIFICATION! EVERY ONE OF
THEM!

Since physical medicines cannot cure the spiritually sick, and physical sulfur
cannot purge spiritual impurities, it follows that the sulfur in this lake of
fire is also being used symbolically. But the physical benefits of physical
sulfur used as a spiritual symbol of healing and purification is only the tip of
the iceberg. What is the real origin of this word brimstone (sulfur)? Let's
notice carefully the first few times that brimstone is used in the
Scriptures:

"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah BRIMSTONE and fire
from the Lord out of heaven... And he [Abraham] looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke
of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace" (Gen. 19:24 &
28).

Now in this historical event there is nothing in suggest that this destruction
was figurative. No, it was a literal destruction, however, it most certainly is a
spiritual and symbolic message in this destruction for our admonition TODAY!

"Now ALL these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are
written for OUR admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Cor. 10:11).

Notice that this destruction of these cities comes from God, but not only did
God burn the cities, but the WHOLE PLAIN AND COUNTRY as well. This destruction
from the Lord was so complete that even the location of these cities is a matter
of conjecture to this day! But why the "brimstone?" Could God not destroy these
cities with fire ALONE? Why was there brimstone in this fire?

"So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after
you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see
the plagues of that land, and the sickness which the Lord has laid upon it; and
that the WHOLE LAND thereof is BRIMSTONE, and salt, and burning, that it is not
sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and
Gomorrah..." (Deut. 29:22-23).

Notice once again that this destruction comes from the Lord and that it is a
complete and total destruction so that even grass would not grow on this
land.

Half of the occurrences of the word brimstone in Scripture are found in the
book of Revelation. Every single time the word brimstone is used in Scripture,
its source is GOD out of heaven. Satan is NEVER connected with the use of
brimstone. Brimstone is as far removed from the nature of Satan as
unrighteousness is removed from the nature of God. Now then, what is brimstone,
REALLY? Are you ready for this? After all the centuries of rank paganism being
interjected into God's pure Word, it's time we blow the lid off of this heresy
being published and preached by the church around the world, blaspheming the very
name and nature of our Great God!

ORIGIN OF THE WORD 'BRIMSTONE'

Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament: brimstone, #2303.
theion. We are told that "Theion originally denoted 'fire from
heaven.'" This word theion #2303 comes from the Greek word theios
#2304, of which we read the following:

Theios means :

(1) DIVINE, and is used

(1a) of THE POWER OF GOD (2 Pet. 1:3), and

(1b) of HIS [GOD'S] NATURE, (2 Pet. 1:4), both of which proceed FROM
HIMSELF.

(2) In Acts 17:29 it is used as a noun with the definite article, to denote
THE GODHEAD, THE DEITY, THE ONE TRUE GOD." (Caps and
underline emphasis are mine).

WOW! What a marvelous revelation of Spiritual Truth! So, again, why is there
brimstone in the lake of fire?" BECAUSE GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF IS IN THIS FIRE! God
IS this fire, this spiritual "CONSUMING FIRE" (Heb. 12:29). THIS FIRE IS
NOT ONLY SPIRITUAL; IT IS DIVINE! THE LAKE OF FIRE IS DIVINE SPIRITUAL
FIRE FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN TO PURGE, PURIFY, CLEANSE, AND HEAL ALL IMPURITIES OF
ALL HUMANITY!!! Is this not the best news you've heard all day?

JESUS CHRIST DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS, IN VAIN! JESUS CHRIST WILL NOT FAIL TO
SAVE THE WHOLE WORLD! JESUS CHRIST SO LOVED THE "WORLD" THAT HE DIED FOR ITS
SALVATION! JESUS CHRIST WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO HIMSELF. JESUS CHRIST HAS BEEN
GIVEN ALL POWER AND JUDGMENT IN BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH. EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, EVER
TONGUE WILL CONFESS, EVERY PERSON WILL REPENT, EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD WILL
BE PURGED AND PURIFIED BY GOD'S ALL CONSUMING DIVINE FIRE FROM HEAVEN!

Make no mistake about it. It is by means of FIRE that all mankind will
ultimately be saved! God has spoken it:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by FIRE [God's DIVINE {spiritual} CONSUMING
FIRE, Heb. 12:29] and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it
is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a
reward. If any man's work shall be BURNED, he shall suffer loss; but HE HIMSELF
SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE" (I Cor. 3:13-15)!

You say, "I don't believe it! We are saved by GRACE, not FIRE." Does "fire"
contradict "grace?" Does "grace" contradict "fire?" NO, they do not
contradict.

"For BY GRACE are you saved..." (Eph. 2:8).

How so?

"For the GRACE of God that brings SALVATION has appeared to all men
[but notice how it does something more in ADDITION to bringing salvation],
TEACHING [Greek: paideuo, TO TRAIN, EDUCATE,
DISCIPLINE, PUNISH, CHASTISE, LEARN, INSTRUCT. (P. 186, Strong's Greek
Dictionary of the New Testament). Such words as "discipline," "punish," and
"chastise," are great TRIALS that we are to go through and endure. These things
are not fun, but wearisome.

Peter has instructed us with the following wisdom:

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto SALVATION [yes,
and by 'grace'] ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you GREATLY
REJOICE [rejoice, Yes, but also with a heavy heart], though now for a
season, if need be, you are IN HEAVINESS through MANIFOLD temptations
[trials]: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of
gold that perishes though it [your faith] be TRIED WITH
FIRE [fire is an important aspect of saving grace], might
be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ"
(I Peter 1:5-7).

Salvation involves the trying of our faith "with FIRE." This Peter
calls our "FIERY trial," "Beloved, think it not strange [this is not some
unusually or rare thing-we ALL must go through it sooner or later] concerning
the FIERY TRIAL which IS [certain] to try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you [or you only]" (I Peter 4:12).

But Peter is not speaking of literal fire, but spiritual fire, God's all
CONSUMING spiritual fire. There was a reason for the brimstone in the fire that
destroyed Sodom and there is a reason for the brimstone that is in the lake of
fire judgment. Are we so naï¿½ve as to think that God could
not have destroyed Sodom and the neighboring cities with fire alone? Was the
brimstone necessary to destroyed Sodom? Not only didn't God need to use brimstone
to destroy Sodom: He didn't even need to use fire. God could have just made Sodom
DISAPPEAR! If Mrs. O'Leary cow could burn down Chicago without any brimstone, but
merely by knocking over a lantern, surely God could have burned down Sodom as
well without any brimstone.

Just as there are properties of "fire" that God wants us to understand in the
spiritual, there are properties of brimstone that God wants us to understand in
the spiritual! Can we not get it into our heads that GOD IS SPIRIT and that all
He is building and creating is SPIRITUAL. We will have SPIRITUAL bodies, we are
SPIRITUAL temples, we are to produce SPIRITUAL fruit, we will live in SPIRITUAL
Jerusalem, in SPIRITUAL Zion, in SPIRITUAL heaven, as members of a SPIRITUAL
kingdom, Headed by a SPIRIT GOD! The physical and natural will all pass away. The
two laws of thermodynamics are at work on every piece of matter in the physical
universe. EVERYTHING PHYSICAL is growing older, colder, and darker-it will
all come to an end one day. Let us learn another great and profound spiritual
lesson from the Scriptures.

FIRST THE PHYSICAL AND THEN THE
SPIRITUAL

"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural
[soulish, physical]; and AFTERWARD that which is spiritual" (I Cor.
15:46).

But this is not what the church teaches. They teach that first came the
natural, the soulish, the physical, and AFTERWARD will come A BETTER VERSION of
the natural, the soulish, the physical! That is unscriptural nonsense. God is not
building a better version of our physical bodies. We will be given SPIRITUAL
BODIES:

"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and
another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory. So
also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; [Adam was
destined to DIE from the time of his very creation:] "For the creation was
made subject to vanity, not willing, but by reason of Him Who has subjected the
same in hope, Because the creature itself [this certainly includes Adam]
also shall be delivered from the bondage of CORRUPTION..." Rom. 8:20-21.
[Adam was created in the 'bondage of corruption']; it is raised in
incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in
weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
SPIRITUAL BODY. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living
soul [subject to death and corruption]; the last Adam was made a
quickening SPIRIT [NOT subject to death or corruption]. Howbeit that was
not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that
which is SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 15:42-46).

Make no mistake about it, what God is creating is SPIRITUAL and eternal. But
first He created the physical and the temporary. He has dealt with the physical
and temporary in the past, and will get do so in the future, but the time will
come when God will do away with physical things, and then all will be spiritual.
There was an OLD Covenant and now there is a NEW Covenant. The first was based
solely on the physical and temporary promises, whereas the second is based on
SPIRITUAL AND PERMANENT promises!

The reason there was "brimstone" in the fire from heaven when God destroyed
Sodom and the cities of the plain is that brimstone is a purging and purifying
agent. And brimstone means DIVINE! This purging of the plain of these evil cities
was a DIVINE purging fire from the God of heaven. God so "divinely purged" those
cities of the plain that their very location is a matter of speculation for
archeologists. To show God's utter disdain for the sins of that land, God did not
merely destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities, but He rather WIPED
THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! That land was then pure! It was fumigated. It was
made white. It was purged of every and all wickedness of its inhabitants. Poor
Sodom. Are they lost forever? Are all Sodomites right now burning in the fires of
some fabled hell?

What do you suppose might have been the fate of Sodom had Jesus preached His
message there and performed His healing miracles there? We don't have to suppose
or guess, because Jesus has already told us exactly what would have happened if
He had taught and healed in Sodom:

"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be bought down
to hell [Greek: hades the unseen]: for if the mighty works, which
have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, IT WOULD HAVE REMAINED UNTIL
THIS DAY" (Matt. 11:23).

So by Christ's own words we have witness of the fact that all it would have
taken for Sodom to remain a city right down to our very generation today, was
some healings and miracles in their city (Luke 10:13)! Is a whole race of people
worth a few healings and miracles? Not according to the stupid and evil doctrines
of the church. They will tell you (if you corner them) that God opted for an
eternity of torture for the Sodomites rather than Salvation at the cost of a few
healings and miracles! No, Sodom is dead! But like all peoples of the world who
have ever died (both the righteous and the wicked), they will be resurrected back
to life and will be judged and purged in the loving, consuming, spiritual, divine
fire of God.

Jesus did not come to eternally destroy the Sodomites nor to torture them for
eternity.

"The Lamb of God, which takes away the SIN OF THE WORLD" (John
1:29).

"...we trust in the Living God, Who is the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially
of those that believe" (I Tim. 4:10).

It is just amazing to me how the Christian churches rally around the state of
Israel and its capital Jerusalem, as though Jerusalem is a "holy city" to be
adored and protected at all cost. A popular Jewish Christian who appears on
international television always closes his program by asking everyone to "Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem." Let me ask candidly: "Are those prayers being
answered?" Turn on your TV or look at this morning's newspaper and then tell me
if these prayers are being answered!

Is the orthodox religion of Judaism the way to God's heart? Is this the one
religion by which men can be saved WITHOUT Christ? Well, according to one famous
and rich international evangelist, the answer is YES! Christless Judaism is a
means to salvation.

Oh really?

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other
name [that name is JESUS] under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST
be saved" (Acts 4:12).

It is one thing to be anti-Semitic (which, of course, is wrong, and for all I
know I may be a Jew myself), but quite another thing to suggest that God is well
pleased with the state of Israel, or its capital, Jerusalem, or its dominant
religion, Judaism. Maybe here is the time for a little reality check concerning
this matter of Jerusalem and the state of Israel. Israel probably has the highest
per-capita Christ-rejecting people in the western world (if we might include them
in the western world). Did you know that the future salvation of Jerusalem is
directly connected to and contingent upon the resurrection, restoration, and
salvation of SODOM?

Even if you are a "Preterist" and believe that everything in the book of
Revelation has already been completely fulfilled by the end of the first century
AD (which it clearly has not), you will still have to acknowledge God's attitude
toward Jerusalem both historically and prophetically as recorded in His Word. As
these things I am about to show you in God's Word are not generally taught
anywhere in the world of Christendom. Let me caution you that what I am about to
show you is not a pretty picture. Parental discretion is definitely advised for
any minors reading the next section of this paper.

First, let us see what God Himself calls Jerusalem:

"And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which
spiritually is called [remember that the spiritual is more real and
significant than the physical and literal] SODOM AND EGYPT, where also our
Lord was crucified [our Lord was crucified in JERUSALEM]"
(Rev. 11:8).

So God Himself calls Jerusalem "Sodom and Egypt." Not exactly an
accolade of spiritual endearment. So prophetically God calls Jerusalem, Sodom and
Egypt. How does God view Jerusalem historically leading up to this shameful
appellation of "Sodom and Egypt?"

"Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, cause
Jerusalem to know her ABOMINATIONS" (Ezek. 16:1).

Throughout chapter 16, God likens Jerusalem as a young virgin bride that He
takes to Himself:

"Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon you, behold your time was the
time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness: yes,
I swore unto you and entered into a covenant with you, saith the Lord God, and
YOU BECAME MINE" (Verse 8).

"And I put a jewel on your forehead, and earrings in your ears, and a
beautiful crown upon your head. Thus were you decked with gold and silver; and
your raiment was of fine line, and silk, and broidered work; you didst eat fine
flour, and honey, and oil: and you were exceeding beautiful, and you did
prosper into a kingdom. And your renown went forth among the heathen for they
beauty: for it was PERFECT through my comeliness, which I had put upon you,
says the Lord God" (Verses 12-14).

Was Jerusalem thankful to God? Did Jerusalem worship and adore God as a
Perfect Husband? No:

"But you did trust in YOUR OWN beauty, and PLAYED THE HARLOT because of
your renown and poured out your FORNICATIONS on everyone that passed by ... and
played the HARLOT ... and did commit WHOREDOM with them ... Is this of your
WHOREDOMS a small matter ... And in all your ABOMINATIONS and your WHOREDOMS
you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare,
and was polluted in your blood.

And it came to pass after all your WICKEDNESS
(WOE, WOE unto you! Saith the Lord God ... opened your feet [spread your
legs] to every one that passed by and MULTIPLIED YOUR WHOREDOMS. You have
also committed FORNICATION WITH THE EGYPTIANS your neighbours ... You have
played the WHORE also with the Assyrians ... You have moreover multiplied your
FORNICATION in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea ... How weak is your heart,
saith the Lord God, seeing you do all these things, the work of an
IMPERIOUS [a female fox, arrogant, malicious] WHORISH WOMAN ... as a
wife that commits ADULTERY, which takes strangers [heathen religions and
gods] instead of her husband [God] ... but you give your gifts to ALL
WHORES; but you give your gifts [of sexual favors] to ALL YOUR LOVERS,
and hire them, that they may come unto you on every side for your WHOREDOM"
(Verses 15-32).

God is not pleased with His harlot wife, and pronounces terrible woes upon
her:

JERUSALEM'S SPIRITUAL SISTER IS SODOM

"Wherefore, O HARLOT, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God;
Because your FILTHLINESS was poured out, and your NAKEDNESS discovered through
your WHOREDOMS with your lovers, and with all the IDOLS OF YOUR
ABOMINATIONS..."

Etc., etc. (Verses 35-36). But it gets WORSE:

"thou art your mother's daughter, that LOATHES her husband and her
children; and you are the sister of your sisters, which loathed their husbands
and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite. And
your elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at your left
hand: and your younger sister, that dwells at your right hand, is SODOM and
her daughters." (Verse 45-46).

JERUSALEM IS FAR WORSE THAN THE VERY
WORST

"Yet have you not walked after their ways, nor done after their
abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, YOU WERE CORRUPTED
MORE THAN THEY IN ALL YOUR WAYS. As I live, says the Lord God,
Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as YOU
[Jerusalem] HAVE DONE, you and your daughters" (Verses 47-48).

"Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins; but you have MULTIPLIED
YOUR ABOMINATIONS MORE THAN THEY, and have justified your sisters in all YOUR
ABOMINATIONS which you have done. You also, which have judged your sisters,
bear your own shame for your sins that YOU HAVE COMMITTED MORE ABOMINABLE THAN
THEY: they are MORE RIGHTEOUS [imagine God saying that Sodom is 'more
righteous' than Jerusalem?] than you" (Verse 52).

What do you imagine would happen to me if I were to stand up in one of the
international churches that supports Israel and Jerusalem and even teaches that
they can be saved WITHOUT Jesus Christ, and I told them that the wicked City
State of Sodom WAS MORE RIGHTEOUS than Jerusalem, Israel? On second thought,
don't imagine it.

OH the deceitfulness of the church! I have heard two messages on international
television this week wherein Jerusalem was mentioned again as God's chosen city
of His chosen people, and how we must back Israel and Jerusalem. This corrupt
city is praised and praised daily by the church as though God just really does
love this corrupt city with their corrupt religion! God HATES what is going on in
Jerusalem and Israel. God is NOT blessing Jerusalem. God is NOT protecting
Jerusalem. There is NO PEACE in Jerusalem. God certainly loves the people of
Jerusalem, but they have some deep deep repentance ahead of them. OPEN YOUR EYES!
Where have you ever read anywhere in the Bible such condemnation on ANYONE as we
have just read regarding Jerusalem? OH how the church applauds Jerusalem, when
the reality is that their sins are reaching to high heaven.

Recently 60 Minutes presented a documentary on how Russian girls are being
sold around the world as full-time live-in harlots. Thousands of Russian girls
are being sold for sex slaves (and many by their own will for a better financial
life). Well it just so happens that there is a location that acts as a
clearinghouse for brokering these girls around the world. Just where do you
suppose that brokering center is located? Would you believe,
JERUSALEM?

This past week one of the news channels covered a huge gathering of
homosexuals. They had a bandstand set up like rock stars have from which they
paraded their cross-dressing transvestite regalia and paraphernalia. Speeches
were made regarding homosexual life styles, etc. Where do you suppose this
meeting was being held? Los Angeles? New York? San Francisco? NO!
JERUSALEM!

There is a reason why God goes into such detail and allots so much space in
His Word for such small cities as Sodom and Jerusalem. They were but the
fore-runners of a much larger deception of the same ilk! This same HARLOT system
permeates the world today through a huge organization and worldwide work.

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and
talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment
of the GREAT WHORE that sits upon many waters [not just one city or one
people, but MANY WATERS OF NATIONS AND PEOPLES]: With whom the kings of the
earth have committed FORNICATION, and the inhabitants of the EARTH [the
ENTIRE WORLD!] have been made DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION"
(Rev. 17:1-2)!

Take another look at what you have just read! According to the Word of God,
there is to come (and has already come as we speak) a WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION that
will spread her spiritual whoredom and fornication AROUND THE ENTIRE INHABITED
EARTH and will make ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH DRUNK on the spiritual
intoxicating wine of her doctrine! And what is the name God gives this system of
spiritual whoredom? Let's read it:

"And the woman [woman represents a church in Scripture] WAS
ARRAYED IN PURPLE AND SCARLET COLOUR, AND DECKED WITH GOLD AND SILVER AND
PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS [this church is not poor] and a golden cup in
her hand full of ABOMINATIONS AND FILTHINESS OF HER FORNICATION." Gee,
sounds like the exact description of the harlot woman in Ezekiel 16, doesn't
it? (Rev. 17:4-5): "And upon her forehead was a name written,

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"

This church system is the apex, the zenith, the epitome of ALL THAT IS
DECEITFUL, AND WICKED!

IT ALL BEGAN AT BABEL

This world's counterfeit religious and political systems began at BABEL
(Babylon).

"And the whole earth was of one language ... they found a plain in the
land of Shinar [Iraq--Babylon] ... And they said, Go to, let us build us
a CITY and a tower ... and let us make us a NAME, lest we be scattered abroad
upon the face of the WHOLE EARTH ... And the Lord came down to see the city ...
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language ... So the Lord
scattered them abroad from thence upon the FACE OF ALL THE EARTHY..." (Gen.
11:1-9).

God confounded their languages and He scattered them over the face of all the
earth, but they took their rebellious, self-centered, godless religion and
government WITH THEM.

Have we forgotten how that later mankind once again regrouped under one
central government? There was a time in ancient history when officials gather the
educated and scholars from around the world, and once again shared philosophies,
religions, laws, sciences, and other academia at a central location which they
would then once more take back to their respective countries and share,
worldwide? And what was that great nation called? That's right, BABYLON! But that
great Gold-Headed Kingdom also came crashing down under the Medes and the
Persians. Well guess what? Babylon is rising once more. This time God calls
it:

"MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:5).

Notice that this Great Whore is a "mother of harlots." She is a mother who has
harlots for daughters. This is the very same thing that we read in Ezekiel 16:
48,

"As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister has not done, she nor
her daughters, as you [Jerusalem] has done, YOU [Jerusalem-a MOTHER]
and your DAUGHTERS."

Any woman who has "daughters" is of necessity, a "mother."

Now for a real shocker! From where does God call HIS people? The answer
shocked me.

"BABYLON THE GREAT is fallen, is fallen... For ALL NATIONS have drunk of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication ... And I heard another voice from
heaven saying, "Come OUT of her, MY PEOPLE that you be not
partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues" (Rev.
18:2-4)!

Wow! Can you believe it? God calls HIS PEOPLE, HIS SAINTS,
HIS ELECT, HIS CHURCH, OUT OF "MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT,
MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"!! That's where the
Apostles came from, that's where Paul came from, that's where the small
persecuted church down through the ages came from, that where every believer I
know came from, and that's where I came from. I, in fact, followed and obeyed
several of her harlots in the process of coming out of Babylon. I was no better
than the worst of sinners. It is only by God's grace that we are able to escape
this system. And God will continue to call His elect out of that very system
until He destroys it in His presence.

So clearly, the Mother Whore Jerusalem has HARLOT DAUGHTERS! And of the great
religious system spoken of in Revelation 17 we also clearly see that MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT, is a Mother Whore of Harlot Daughters! One has to be
spiritually blind as a bat to not see that when we compare "Spiritual with
spiritual," these two are a "spiritual MATCH!" More proof:

The one True Church of the Living God has a "Father" and a "Mediator-Jesus
Christ." But does God's Church have a "Mother?" Ah, Yes, it surely does:

"For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the
other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh;
but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory [a
representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters] for these are
the TWO COVENANTS; the one from the mount Sinai, which genders to bondage,
which is Agar. For this Agar IS [now a metaphor-'is like, in certain
ways'] mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to JERUSALEM which NOW IS [at
the time Paul wrote this and continues to this day] and is in BONDAGE with
her children. But Jerusalem which is ABOVE ["The HEAVENLY
JERUSALEM" Heb. 12:22] is free, which is THE MOTHER OF
US ALL" (Gal. 4:22-26).

What amazing Scriptures these are. The New Covenant Church of the Living God
has a MOTHER-HEAVENLY JERUSALEM ABOVE. And the giant Old Covenant Whore Church
also has a mother-EARTHLY JERUSALEM BELOW. The New is FREE, whereas the Old is in
BONDAGE. But how can I say that the Old Covenant Church is "huge?" Aren't there
only a relatively few orthodox Jews around the world who keep the "Old" Covenant?
No, there are BILLIONS of people who keep the "Old" Covenant around the world.
There are almost no Christians that understand and keep the "New" Covenant. To
the world of Christendom, the Old Covenant IS THE NEW COVENANT! The New Covenant
is merely keeping the Old Covenant, BETTER! That's right. To most, the New
Covenant consists of keeping the Old Covenant, better. They say that they now
keep the Old Covenant "in the spirit." Just how, pray tell, does one keep the
"physical" in the "spirit?"

Such a doctrine is utter unscriptural contradictory nonsense. You cannot keep
the "physical" in the "spirit." THERE IS NO SPIRIT IN THE PHYSICAL, SO HOW COULD
ONE 'KEEP IT' IF IT DOESN'T EXIST? We are all born with a physical [carnal] mind.
It is possible to keep physical [carnal] laws with a physical carnal mind (Paul
did it to near perfection when he was Saul!). But one CANNOT keep God's spiritual
laws with a physical carnal mind!

"Because the carnal [natural physical] mind is enmity [deep
seated HATRED] AGAINST God; for it is NOT subject to the [spiritual]
law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

"For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to be spiritually minded is LIFE
and peace" (Rom. 8:6).

Let's be sure that we are perfectly clear on these Scriptural facts:

Paul said that there ARE RIGHT NOW, TWO Jerusalem's in existence.

One answers to the New Covenant, which is HEAVENLY JERUSALEM ABOVE.

One answers to the Old Covenant, which is EARTHLY JERUSALEM IN ISRAEL.

If you think that you can spiritually keep the physical laws of Moses, then
your mother is the Old Covenant which answers to "Jerusalem which now is-IN
BONDAGE."

But if you are keeping God's spiritual laws through the spirit of God, then
your mother is "Heavenly Jerusalem ABOVE which is-FREE."

Of course the fact that Jerusalem is TWICE as wicked and abominable as Sodom
does not in any way justify the sins of Sodom. No, God will deal with both
Jerusalem and Sodom. And that is the whole point of this discussion. So even
though the sins of Jerusalem are twice as abominable as the sins of Sodom, God
will, nonetheless, SAVE JERUSALEM! And just when will God save Jerusalem? AT THE
SAME TIME THAT HE SAVES SODOM. Yes, Sodom WILL BE SAVED, and she will be saved at
the same time that doubly corrupt and abominable Jerusalem will be saved. Now
least anyone think that I harbor ill feelings toward Jerusalem for writing these
things, let me make it abundantly clear where these things came from. It is GOD,
and not I, Who calls Jerusalem, Sodom and Egypt, and not only historically, but
prophetically as well.

"When your sisters, SODOM and her daughters, shall return to their
former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their
former estate, then THOU [JERUSALEM] and thy daughters shall
return to YOUR former estate" (Verse 55).

"Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall
receive your sisters, your elder [Samaria] and your younger
[SODOM]: and I will give them [Samaria and Sodom] unto you for
daughters, but not by your covenant. And I will establish my covenant with you;
and you shall KNOW [for the first time] that I am the
Lord: That you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any
more because of your shame, when I am PACIFIED [make atonement, to pardon,
to placate, to cover, to condone] TOWARD THEE [Jerusalem AND her
sisters, Samaria and Sodom] for all that you have done, saith the Lord
God" (Verses 61-63).

When God purges the hearts and minds of the wicked with His all-consuming
spiritual fire, they will be UTTERLY ASHAMED! Notice what God says in Revelation
14:10 regarding anyone who is a part of this one world religious system:

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God [seeing that
"For ALL nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of HER
fornication..." Rev. 18:3], which is poured out without mixture into
the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented [UTTERLY
ASHAMED-spiritual and mental torment] with the fire and brimstone [God
DIVINE spiritual fire] in the presence of the holy angels, and in THE
PRESENCE OF THE LAMB" (Rev. 14:10).

They are going to have to face their sins and wickedness and hypocrisy, NOT in
the presence of GOD ALMIGHTY, but in the presence of "the
LAMB!" How embarrassing and shameful it will be for all those
being purged in the God's spiritual consuming lake of fire to see and acknowledge
their whole life of sin in the very presence of the Lamb of God Who DIED FOR
THEM! Every heart in the universe will melt like snow in a furnace when
they face the LAMB OF GOD in their judgment!

So, is Sodom right now suffering in some fabled hell fires? NO. Is Jerusalem
of old right now suffering in some fabled hell fires? NO. Will Sodom and
Jerusalem be saved TOGETHER? YES, in the second resurrection, at the white throne
judgment, in the lake of fire. The lake of divine spiritual fire will bring
salvation to ALL THE NATIONS! "...but he himself [whomever of the billions
of people purged in God's spiritual fire] shall be SAVED; yet so as BY
[God's spiritual consuming] FIRE"! (I Cor. 3:15).

Remember that there are two administrations of God's purging fire: The first
is on the House of God consisting of those whom God is calling to be overcomers
and sons of God. The second will be at the second resurrection and white throne
judgment in the lake of God's divine purging fire. All the children of the
bondwoman, the Old Covenant, the Mother Whore with her harlot daughters, will one
day be the children of Heavenly Jerusalem Above, which is the MOTHER OF US
ALL!

God truly is NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS. GOD IS ABLE TO BRING ANY PERSON TO
REPENTANCE. How could anyone deny it? There is no such thing as a person being so
evil that he cannot be converted by the spirit of God. But God has a timetable,
and He will follow that timetable. There is great wisdom in what God does and how
He does it and when He does it and to whom He does.

If you have never experienced COMING OUT of Babylon the Great, then maybe you
are being called to respond to God's plea: "Come OUT of her MY PEOPLE." It
is a great and wonderful thing to be called by God at this time to be prepared as
the very SONS OF THE LIVING GOD to bring salvation to the rest of the world and
the entirety of the universe!